Fans fuming after bus swap with beaten players

Furious non-league football supporters accused their club of forcing them to swap coaches with their defeated players for a long trip home.

Supporters of Torquay United were also disgruntled after watching their side lose 4-2 at second-from-bottom Eastbourne Borough in the National League South.

Their afternoon was made worse when their travel arrangements for the four-and-a-half hour journey home were bizarrely changed. The supporters accused the club of demanding they swap coaches with the players.

"Sadly we are on our way home after a terrible trip, shocking performance and now have had to swap coaches," the Torquay United Travel Club vented.

"So poor on Torquay United, do hope club and players enjoy our coach!

"Big shout out to the four drivers on both coaches as you do such a great job and without you we don't travel!

"As you all know I always appreciate the support the travel club gets from the fans but today is hard one to take, the coach situation is shocking on top of such a long trip and day.

"We are finally on our way home without any points, safe trip all!"

Torquay United explained their side of the story: "Following discussions this morning with the Torquay United Supporters' Trust (TUST), the club is aware of concerns and online speculation regarding supporter travel to and from Eastbourne on Saturday, and would like to take the opportunity to help clarify the situation.

"The team travelled to Sussex on Friday and, due to two significant breakdowns en route, our official operator, Roselyn Coaches, arranged a temporary replacement transport to be sent to Reading at short notice to ensure the squad could reach the hotel in a timely fashion.

"Roselyn agreed to supply a different coach for the club for the squad's return journey after the match yesterday. We have since been informed by Roselyn that, for their operational reasons, the replacement vehicle being sent for the club's return trip was used for the supporters' outward journey to Eastbourne and allocations were then returned for the journey back to Devon.

"The Torquay Supporters Travel Club (TSTC) is independent of Torquay United. As such, the club was not aware of any separate contractual arrangements between Roselyn Coaches and TSTC, including that Roselyn had provided a larger coach to TSTC than was originally contracted.

"At no point did the club instruct that any supporters be removed from a coach, and at no time were any members of the squad or football management aware of the logistical discussions.

"The Club has spoken to Roselyn this morning and understand an explanation was also provided by them directly to TSTC regarding the logistics for yesterday."

TUFC co-chairman Michael Westcott said: "We recognise emotions are running high after a disappointing result, and we are sorry for any disruption and confusion caused.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank all Torquay fans for their incredible support to the team, as always."

Despite an afternoon to forget, Torquay are second in the National League South, six points behind leaders Dorking Wanderers.